For the Love of a Dragon
by Tenshi-Yume
Summary: After a year of being away from Gaia, Hitomi is needed once more. Once there, new enemies kidnap her and erase her memories of her previous time in Gaia. Will Hitomi’s unconditional love for Van help her remember what she shared with him or will her hea
1. The Return

Hitomi ran through the dark forest, breathing heavily. Hitomi stopped to catch her breath and to rest for just a moment. She could feel the soft, wet forest floor from beneath her feet as she shivered from the slight breeze that was blowing through the forest. With one quick glimpse, Hitomi looked up at the sky and saw Earth. 'My home,' she thought. Within the distance she could hear people running and giving chase as if in pursuit of someone or something. The blood within her ran cold and she started to run again. She ran as far as her legs could carry her. Just up ahead of her she could see a small pale light shining through the thick leaves of the trees. She ran towards the light with every effort to try and escape her pursuers. The light was shining more brightly and Hitomi had thought that she was going to make it. Suddenly the trees cleared and she halted to a stop just barely making it. Before her was a sheer drop that went down thousands of feet and falling from this cliff could easily break every bone in your body once you had found the bottom. She could hear her pursuers getting closer. 'Van, if only you were here to catch me,' she thought as the memories of her first coming to Gaia filled her head. She remembered the fight against Zaibach and how so many friends had died trying to protect those they had loved the most. 'If only Van. If only,' Hitomi whispered as she jumped off of the cliff.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Hitomi woke up gasping and looked all around her to see that there were no trees. Instead she saw only faces of students looking at her with weird expressions coming from all 29 of them including her best friend Yukari. The teacher turned around to see who had made the noise and saw Hitomi with an embarrassed facial expression. The teacher gave a sigh and began to speak to the class.  
  
"Everyone return to what I had asked you to do previously before there was any interruption from Miss Kanzaki. As for you Miss Kanzaki, if my lessons to teach you are so boring that you would start sleeping in this class I suggest that you drop this class and head for the regular one," Miss Hoshi said.  
  
"Yes Miss Hoshi," Hitomi replied with a flushed face of embarrassment. Before Miss Hoshi could say anymore the bell rang signaling the school days end. All the students headed for the door trying to get out of the classroom and out of the school so that they could go home and rest and look forward to another boring and tiring day at school.  
  
"Class! I want you all to write an essay and bring it back tomorrow on the story that we read today in class!" Miss Hoshi yelled in the hallway to the remaining students that were in her class who were pushing and shoving in the hallways trying to get out. Hitomi slowly packed her belongings and got up from her desk. Her best friend Yukari was waiting for her at the door and as Hitomi walked towards her she gave Hitomi a warm and friendly smile. While Hitomi and Yukari were heading out, Miss Hoshi was coming back in from the crowded hallway.  
  
"Oh Miss Kanzaki. May I speak with you for a moment?" Miss Hoshi asked as she looked at Hitomi in the face.  
  
"Sure," Hitomi nodded with an unsure smile on her face.  
  
"Meet you outside the school Hitomi," Yukari said as she headed down the stairs to get to the first floor. Hitomi watched sadly as her friend left. Then slowly and gloomily, Hitomi walked back into the classroom. She saw Miss Hoshi pull up a chair next to her desk and the give her the signal to come and sit down. Hitomi walked over to the chair and sat down knowing what her teacher was going to say to her.  
  
"Hitomi. I've noticed that you don't pay as much attention anymore as you used to two years ago. You were always a diligent student and always paid attention, but now you seem like as if a part of you is somewhere else. I want to know what's wrong," Miss Hoshi said with a caring and concerned tone of voice.  
  
"I..." Hitomi began as she tried to think of what to say to her teacher. Hitomi thought and knew that a part of her was truly somewhere else. This somewhere else was called Gaia. She remembered how she had left so many good friends there, but she remembered how she had left the person she loved the most...Van. Then the memories, the visions, and the power of the tarot cards all came back to her, haunting her mind and bewitching it. Miss Hoshi looked at Hitomi with her sad and dazed facial expression. Miss Hoshi gave a long sigh and stared down at her desk.  
  
Then she refaced Hitomi and said, "Hitomi, I think you should go home and take a nice long rest. You seem to be somewhere else every time I speak to you."  
  
"Huh? Oh Miss Hoshi! I'm sorry. It's just that many different things have been on my mind lately. Things I can't seem to forget," Hitomi responded back trying to chase away the memories.  
  
"Hitomi?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Go home."  
  
"Yes Miss Hoshi." Hitomi got up from the chair and walked towards the door. Standing right underneath the door, Hitomi closed her eyes for a moment and sighed then she walked out and went towards the stairs.  
  
  
  
Outside of the school, Hitomi saw Yukari who was waiting for her at the front gates.  
  
"What took you so long Hitomi?" Yukari asked.  
  
"Nothing. Miss Hoshi just asked me why I wasn't paying attention in her class anymore," Hitomi answered back.  
  
"Oh. Did you drift off again? You've changed. I mean ever since you put away your tarot cards, you seem to act differently around everyone."  
  
"I'm sorry. It's just that when I told myself that I would never tell fortunes again to anyone I meant it."  
  
"What? I asked you why you changed and you start telling me about fortune telling? Hitomi what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing. I'm fine. I just need some rest that's all." Hitomi walked away from the school leaving her friend speechless. Yukari knew something was wrong but she didn't want to ask Hitomi the question again. Yukari chased after her friend and walked with her all the way to her house, side by side. Once they had reached Hitomi's house Hitomi and Yukari said their good-byes and told one another that they would meet each other tomorrow at school and then each went their separate ways. In the evening, Hitomi got ready for bed and wore her soft pajamas and went into her warm and comfortable bed. Hitomi gently closed her eyes as she fell into a deep state of sleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Hitomi walked in the cold fog. She could see nothing in front of her or behind her as she walked on blindly only hearing her own footsteps as she walked. 'What am I doing here? Where is this place?' Hitomi thought. Soft whispers broke the silence and Hitomi became more frightened. 'Destroy the Dragon...Destroy...Destroy the Dragon...' the voices whispered. The voices kept on repeating those words and Hitomi feared for what would happen next. She covered her ears but she could still hear the voices. Hitomi fell to the ground on her knees. 'Make it stop. Please make it stop,' she thought to herself over and over again. The voices became louder and louder. Hitomi wanted to wake up from this dream or vision or whatever it was, but she couldn't. It was as if the voices wanted to trap her in this nightmare...forever. Hitomi panicked and screamed. Her cry of fear echoed through the fog clashing and overpowering the voices. Then she stopped and it was silent again. Hitomi uncovered her ears and listened. She could hear silent and soft footsteps coming towards her. She stared up ahead of her and saw a dark figure coming her way. She could tell that the figure was a man. 'Van?' Hitomi whispered to herself softly. The figure came closer and closer and she feared for who it might be. Suddenly the figure stopped a few feet away from Hitomi. He wasn't close enough for Hitomi to see who he was, but she could see that he was a soldier of some kind. He had a sword and he wore a long cape that blew from the slight breeze that started up.  
  
'Get up,' the figure said. Hitomi could sense the authority in his voice, but it wasn't demanding or orderly. The voice was gentle but firm. Again the voice spoke the same words but this time he spoke her name as well. Hitomi slowly got up from the ground and tried to see whom the mysterious figure was.  
  
'Don't even try. You won't know who I am,' the figure said.  
  
'Who are you and why have you brought me here?' Hitomi questioned.  
  
'Hitomi, you must be careful. The time for you to return to Gaia is near.'  
  
'Return to Gaia? What do you mean?'  
  
'Be careful Hitomi,' the figure said once more and with those few words the figure vanished in a bright flash of light. Hitomi became blinded and held up her arms to cover her face from the light. Soon the light vanished just as quickly as it had come. Hitomi was in darkness again. Hitomi looked around and saw a small pink glow. She looked where the glow was coming from and realized that it was coming from her pendant. The pendant that her grandmother had given her. She held the pendant within her hands. She looked at it and wondered to herself why it was glowing. Then a strong wind blew in her direction. She winced as the wind blew by. When she reopened her eyes she saw her tarot cards floating around her. They started to circle her slowly. Hitomi realized that her pendant and her tarot cards were reacting this way because she knew the time had come for her to use them again. She looked straight ahead of her and saw a figure.  
  
'Escaflowne,' Hitomi murmured to herself. Then she was engulfed in a bright flash of light.  
  
  
  
  
  
Hitomi slowly opened her eyes and looked at her clock. She groaned as she saw that it was only 4:15. She laid her hand on her forehead and let it sit there for some time.  
  
"Why are all these dreams coming to me? I can barely understand them. They're like fragments of a bigger dream or something," Hitomi said aloud to herself in the quiet darkness of her room, "Return to Gaia. That's what the figure said. After a year of being away from Van, do I finally get to see him again?" 


	2. Memories

A dark raven-haired boy looked out the window of the small cottage and stared out at the shimmering lake. The boy was wearing a red short-sleeved shirt and black pants with a finely furnished sword tied at his waist. He was sitting in a nice hand carved wooden chair. His face looked as if he was daydreaming about someone far from his reach. Across from him a long blonde haired man was standing drinking a glass of water so elegantly from his cup. He had a fine face and looked as if he was a knight for the royal court. The door opened and a beautiful young girl stepped into the little cottage and looked around the room. She gave the knight a soft smile and then she turned toward the boy at the window.  
  
"Van? Are you all right?" the girl asked. The boy didn't even move a muscle and looked as if he didn't even hear a word the girl had said.  
  
"Van are you thinking about Hitomi?" the girl asked again.  
  
"What?" the boy replied as if he was pulled from his daydream.  
  
"I said were you thinking about Hitomi?" the girl repeated.  
  
The boy gave the girl a small and soft smile and replied, "Yes."  
  
"How long has it been since she left for Earth?"  
  
"Too long Millerna. Too long."  
  
"About a year," the young man sitting across from Van replied as he moved toward them.  
  
"It's been so long. I'm beginning to miss her," Millerna said.  
  
"You and us both Millerna," the man said, "Van do you still have the pendant?"  
  
"Yes Allen," Van said as he pulled the pendant from beneath his shirt and held it in his hands. Allen looked at the pendant and imaged a picture of the young girl that had refused his proposal of marriage. Allen chased the image away and he went on sipping at his water. For a moment or two everything was silent. Millerna went over to Van and put her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"She'll return someday Van. I know it," Millerna said. Van looked up at her and smiled. Millerna took her hand off of Van's shoulder and made her way to the door again. Abruptly, Millerna turned back around just as she was about to open the door.  
  
She faced Allen and said, "Prince Sid wants all Asturian knights to search the forest for anything strange."  
  
"Why?" Allen said as he looked up at her.  
  
"I'm not sure, but it seems important," Millerna replied. Van looked up and looked long and hard at Millerna's face.  
  
"Is it something bad?" Van asked her. Millerna just looked at Van and Van could tell that she didn't know. Allen put his cup down and walked over to the door. Van got up as well and followed Allen. Millerna closed the door after all three of them had gone out and watched as Allen and Van got on a pair of horses and galloped away from the cottage heading towards the forest. A small breeze started up, blowing Millerna 's hair everywhere.  
  
As Millerna held her hair back she whispered, "Be careful." hoping that the breeze would carry it to them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
EARTH:  
  
Hitomi got dressed for her track practice and went outside to wait on the bleachers for her coach. While she was walking out she saw Yukari already waiting out there to watch Hitomi practice. Hitomi smiled to herself and waved at her friend. Yukari waved back at Hitomi. Hitomi took her position on the track and started to stretch. Her coach came out and told the team to get ready to run for ten minutes straight. Hitomi rolled her eyes and sighed. After Hitomi finished stretching she looked up at the sky. There wasn't a single cloud up in the sky. She could feel the heat of the sun beating down on her. A cool slight breeze passed her way.  
  
"Be careful," a small voice whispered. Hitomi stopped looking at the sky and instead looked around her. She couldn't see anyone close enough to her to whisper those words.  
  
"That voice. It sounds so familiar," Hitomi quietly said to herself. Hitomi tried to figure out why the voice sounded so familiar. Hitomi re- looked up a the sky and closed her eyes trying to remember Gaia. Familiar faces flashed through her mind until she saw the face with the familiar voice.  
  
"Millerna," Hitomi whispered.  
  
"Who are you talking to Hitomi?" said the coach. Hitomi looked back down and saw the coach approaching her.  
  
"What?" Hitomi asked.  
  
"I said who were you talking to?" the coach repeated.  
  
"Oh. I was talking to myself," Hitomi said with a little smile.  
  
"Okay. Well get ready to run the ten minutes, we're about to start." Hitomi nodded at her coach and turned around breathing a sigh of relief. Hitomi found her place and lined up with the others. When her coach blew the whistle, Hitomi ran up front. She was running as fast as she could while beating the others at the same time. Suddenly Hitomi saw a white horse running straight towards her carrying a knight on its back. Hitomi stopped running and watched the figure on the horse. Hitomi squinted to see who the person was. When she looked long and hard at the figure she gasped.  
  
"Allen," she said. The horse kept on running towards her and Hitomi wouldn't move. Hitomi just stood there and stared. The other runners ran passed her giving her strange looks as they ran. Yukari watched Hitomi just stand there and shook her head.  
  
"Oh no. Hitomi is spacing out again," she sighed. The coach just looked at Hitomi and stared at her for the longest time. Allen and the horse were getting closer. Close enough to run Hitomi over and kill her. The figures then ran into Hitomi. Hitomi could feel the force of the horse running and she could hear Allen's breathing. The figures vanished after passing through her. The forces of the horse made Hitomi fall and as she hit the ground, the force of the ground hitting her head knocked her unconscious. Yukari and the other runners stopped what they were doing and saw Hitomi fall. The coach immediately ran over to Hitomi's side and saw that she was out.  
  
"Someone help me get Hitomi to the nurse's office!" the coach yelled. All the runners came to aid the coach. They carried Hitomi to the nurse's office and laid her down onto the bed that was made for her. The coach and the runners were outside the office waiting for the report on Hitomi's condition. After examining Hitomi the nurse went outside the office and told the coach and the other runners that she would be fine and that all she needed was some rest. The coach was reassured and then yelled at the runner to finish their running before the incident. The nurse walked back inside the office and sat down in her chair. Hitomi lay on the bed and breathed small short breaths all the while looking as if she was dreaming.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Hitomi opened her eyes and looked around her and saw that there were trees everywhere. As she tried to stand up she felt the ground and it was wet like it was early in the morning and the dew had just fallen. Hitomi looked around her and could smell the trees. She looked above her and she could see the vast open blue sky. She looked around the sky and then she saw it . . . Earth.  
  
"What happened? Am I on Gaia?" Hitomi wondered. She looked down at her clothes and saw that she was still wearing her track shorts and her gym t- shirt. Hitomi looked around and couldn't see anything. Hitomi walked just a little bit towards the trees to see if it was real. She touched the bark and could feel the firmness of it.  
  
"I can smell the trees and the air around me and I can also feel the hardness of the trees," Hitomi said to herself. She stopped talking for a while and listened to the forest. She could hear the birds and the many other different sounds around her. In the distance she could hear something pounding on the ground. It was far away so she couldn't hear it all that well, but the sound got closer and closer. The pounding got louder and louder. The sound was near enough so that she could tell that it was from a horse. Hitomi knew that it was coming towards her. The horse was slowing down and started to walk at a slow pace. Hitomi went further to try and get a look at the horse and its rider if it had one. As she walked closer and closer to the edge of the forest, she could see just the shadow of the rider. The sun was shining in her eyes and she couldn't quite make out who the person was. The figure on the horse then got close enough for her to identify. Hitomi recognizing who it was gave a small gasp.  
  
"Allen?" she said enough for the figure to hear. The figure looked at her and his face turned into one of recognition.  
  
"Hitomi?" Allen asked. Allen stopped his horse right in front of her, so that he could see her better. Hitomi and Allen looked at each other, straight into each other's eyes. A slight breeze blew and the leaves swirled around in the air like they were dancing to the breeze. Both stood there looking at each other for a very long time.  
  
Then Allen got enough courage to speak first and he said, "Why don't you come out of the forest and come back with me to Asturia . . . that way you can see Van."  
  
"Van is here?" Hitomi asked quietly.  
  
"Yes," Allen said. Hitomi looked up at Allen and then she turned her face towards the ground. She quietly walked towards the horse and looked up back at Allen. She gave Allen a nod and he helped her up onto the horse. Hitomi was seated in the back and she put her arms around Allen's waist to keep her from falling off of the horse. Allen shifted the reigns of the horse and the horse turned back towards the way that they had come from. Hitomi rested her aching head on Allen's back and the horse trotted off on a slow pace. The ride took only a few short minutes, but it was long enough for her to get some sleep. When they reached the village, Allen gently nudged Hitomi with his shoulder to wake her up. Hitomi lifted her head and opened her eyes. She could see many houses and people walking around. She noted to herself that nothing had changed since she left Gaia and everything was the same. Directly in front of Hitomi was a small cottage. The cottage had a cozy look to it and she almost could sense that Van was inside. Allen was the first to get off and after he got off the horse, he helped Hitomi. He tied the horse to the mast and walked towards the door to the cottage while Hitomi walked silently behind him. Allen opened the door and saw Van sitting at the table doing nothing.  
  
When Van heard the door open, he looked up as he saw Allen walking in and asked, "You didn't find anything either?"  
  
"No," Allen replied, "But I did find something else." Van looked at Allen with a certain curiosity. Allen moved from out of the doorway and let Hitomi through the door. Van watched as she stepped through the doorway and his face softened into a face of denial. Van slowly stood up and looked at her.  
  
Hitomi looked at Van and her mouth opened as she gave a small smile and said, "Hello Van."  
  
"Hitomi," Van said with disbelief. They continued to stare at each other without saying a word. Allen, who had stepped off to the side, began to feel uncomfortable and he moved towards the door. Just as he was about to open it, the door suddenly opened from the outside. Millerna stepped through the door and saw Allen facing her. She gave him a big smile. Allen looked at Millerna for a few moments and then he turned his face away. Millerna's smile faded and she looked at Allen not noticing Hitomi was standing in front of her with her back turned to her. Millerna could tell that something was bothering Allen and she looked around the room to try and figure out what had happened. She saw Hitomi's back but she couldn't recognize her. Millerna stepped aside and walked towards Hitomi. As she got closer, she recognized who the person was and smiled as she went towards the person and gave her a hug. Hitomi knowing that Millerna was there would not look away from Van. Van sat back down and turned his head toward the side as he broke the force that caused them to look at each other.  
  
Millerna looked into Hitomi's face and said, "You're back. I always knew that you would come back, but I didn't know that it would be so soon." Hitomi looked at Millerna and smiled back.  
  
"Neither did I," Hitomi said quietly. Hitomi and Millerna sat down at the table where Van was sitting and talked. As Hitomi was sitting down, she looked towards Van. Van was still staring at the ground. Then he got up slowly and quietly and walked towards the door. Hitomi opened her mouth to say something, but by the time she wanted to say it, he had already walked out the door. Millerna watched Van leave right when Hitomi wanted to say something. Hitomi stared at the door and then turned back around to look at Millerna. Millerna simply looked back at Hitomi with a small and simple smile.  
  
"Hitomi. It's been so long since you left us the first time. Maybe you should spend this time with Van. After all there aren't anymore wars," Millerna explained. The dream about the figure telling her to return to Gaia flashed into her mind again. Hitomi shook her head to chase it away.  
  
"No Millerna. My coming here wasn't just a coincidence. Someone called me here. Something's going to happen, I can sense it," Hitomi replied.  
  
"You really think so?"  
  
"Yes." Millerna looked at Allen and sighed. Then she turned back to Hitomi.  
  
"Still, Van missed you and he's been thinking about you ever since you left Gaia. Spend some time with him. It's the only thing you can do to comfort him," Millerna explained. Hitomi looked at Millerna as she got up from the chair and went towards Allen. She whispered something quietly into his ear and then she headed for the door. Allen walked towards Hitomi, took her hand and kissed it. Hitomi looked at Allen in surprise and then watched him leave. Allen and Millerna left the cottage and went outside. Hitomi sat there for a long time and then she too slowly got up. She walked slowly toward the door and she went outside. The light shone bright and she had to shield her eyes, she looked around the place and saw that Millerna and Allen had left already. She looked around the place to look for Van and she saw him standing in front of the lake. He was looking beyond the lake and it was as if he came out to think. Hitomi put her hands down and walked toward him, trying to think of something to say to him. Finally after a small walk that seemed like forever Hitomi stood next to Van. Hitomi looked at the lake and then she turned to look at Van. She looked at his serious face and then she looked away.  
  
Finally Van's voice broke the silence and he said, "How did you come back?" Hitomi looked at Van and then she looked back at the lake.  
  
"I'm not sure. I was at a practice and then I was transported here," Hitomi explained. Van turned to look at her in the face. He took her chin within his hand and turned her head towards him. Hitomi looked at his face and saw the sadness in his eyes. She leaned her face against his hand and whispered into it.  
  
"I missed you," she said quietly. Van took his arms and wrapped them around Hitomi. He held her tight and it seemed as if he would not let go this time. Hitomi laid her head on his chest and could feel him breathing.  
  
"I'm with you always even if you can't see me," Van said with a small smile forming at his lips. Hitomi closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her.  
  
  
  
Van stood at the edge on one side of the gorge with his pure white wings spread open almost covering the area around him. Another person was there, but standing on the other side of the gorge. This person whom Hitomi did not recognize had wings that were black as the night sky and glinted with a hint of confusion and fear. Van and the mysterious figure looked into each other's eyes. Van's eyes were filled with anger and the stranger's was filled with vengeance and hate. They stared long and hard at one another. Suddenly the stranger flew high into the air; Van watched and then followed. Both had swords by their sides and once they met in the air the swords clashed and a great spark was made. The spark landed on the ground and burned the land as a small flame. The more Van and the stranger fought, the bigger the flame became. People screamed and tried to run for cover, but the flame was everywhere. Some people cried and their tears were put to rest by the flame. The flame licked at everything and wherever it passed it would leave the ground covered in red.  
  
  
  
Hitomi opened her eyes and looked around her realizing that what she had just seen was another fragment of a bigger vision that she was about to have. Hitomi sighed as Van finally released her from his grasp. Van looked at her and could see the sadness in her eyes knowing that something was terribly wrong.  
  
"What's wrong?" Van asked Hitomi. Hitomi gave a thought to telling Van about her visions and then chased away the idea. She didn't want to worry him even more.  
  
She gave one of her smiles to reassure Van and said, "Nothing. I'll be fine." Van glanced back in the distance and could see Millerna and Allen coming back from their outing. He turned back to Hitomi and looked at her. Hitomi looked back at Van and an image of him with broken wings flashed through her head. Hitomi turned away from him and tried to focus on Millerna and Allen coming in the distance. As they got closer, Hitomi could see a slightly worried look on Millerna's face and a more serious one on Allen's. Van saw that they were coming nearer and turned to focus on them. Finally Millerna and Allen had reached Hitomi and Van. Millerna gave a worried look to Hitomi. Van saw the seriousness in Allen's eyes and knew that something was wrong.  
  
Millerna finally spoke, "Zaibach has risen again." Hitomi looked at her with a sense of shock and Van felt a surge of anger rise in him.  
  
"What do you mean?" Hitomi asked with a slight sense of confusion.  
  
"A new leader has come and is raising Zaibach using the few remains that was left from the last war, " Allen explained.  
  
All were silent as Millerna looked deeply into Hitomi's eyes and said, "Hitomi. If Zaibach is reborn with the same ideas as last time, then there will be another war and this time I fear that it will be one not even you can stop." 


	3. Deceiving Visions

Hitomi entered the palace of Asturia and stared in awe at it's beauty. She remembered the palace from her last visit, but it wasn't quite as beautiful as the one she stood in. 'They must have rebuilt it,' Hitomi thought. She walked alongside Van, with Allen and Millerna leading the way. While Hitomi walked she remembered why she was brought here and still couldn't believe that it was happening again.  
  
  
  
Hitomi looked into Allen's serious eyes and asked, "How did you find this out?" "We went to the palace and from Prince Chid, we learned that Zaibach was slowly gaining back it's political power as well as it's military," Allen responded. "Hitomi? When we spoke with each other, you mentioned that you felt someone was calling you here, right?" Millerna questioned. Hitomi looked back at her and gave a slight nod. "Maybe it's possible that this someone was Van," Millerna finished. "No," Hitomi said shaking her head, "I don't think it was Van. He didn't know that Zaibach was being reborn." Again an image of Van with broken wings flashed through Hitomi's mind and again Hitomi chased it away. "Then maybe Escaflowne summoned you again knowing the danger that was to come," Van said quietly. All of them looked at Van and thought about the possibility. 'It wasn't Escaflowne either. Something else called me . . . something more powerful,' Hitomi thought to herself. Then Allen broke the silence. "There is no time. We have to go to the palace," Allen said seriously. Van nodded and helped Millerna off of her horse. Millerna rode with Allen and Hitomi rode with Van. The horses raced to the palace quickly trying to spare some time in between.  
  
  
  
Hitomi gave a quick sigh and continued to walk on with the others. Prince Chid was sitting on the throne and got up to welcome them when they walked in. He gave them his boyish smile as they stopped in front of him. Hitomi stared at Prince Chid and saw that he had grown since the last time she saw him. He still had his little boy figure but it looked as if he had become smarter. Hitomi gave him a big, warm smile as he walked over to her.  
  
"Hitomi! It's been a while since the last time we met," Prince Chid said.  
  
"Yes. I see that your kingdom is doing very well all in cause of your wisdom," she complimented. Prince Chid gave a slight blush. The greeting between them was shortly ended as Van spoke up. "Prince Chid. Tell us of this new leader, that is if you have any knowledge of him," Van said with a serious look. Prince Chid turned around as his smile had faded. He gave a quick sigh before he responded to Van's question. "I know nothing of this new leader. The only thing I learned from the scouts was that Zaibach was rebuilding itself and slowly gaining back it's political power," Prince Chid explained to Van.  
  
"With Zaibach rebuilding itself to the once former glory that they had, the kingdoms will be unbalanced," Allen said.  
  
"Yes but that is only if they have the same ideas as they had last time," Millerna said. All became silent and thought over of what the possibilities might be when Zaibach rises again. Everyone was deep in thought and concentrated really hard on the matter. Van looked over at Hitomi who seemed very deep in thought. He gave a slight tap onto Hitomi's arm. Hitomi snapped back to reality and looked at her side staring into the serious yet soft eyes of Van.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" Van asked. Hitomi gave him a soft and reassuring smile. "I'm just thinking about what the consequences will be if Zaibach returns," she said with a worried tone in her voice.  
  
"Don't be. This time there will be no war and I swear I will do anything to make this happen."  
  
"Van. I don't want another war to erupt as much as you do, but maybe possibly I. . ."  
  
"What?" Another image of Van flashed through her mind. Again Hitomi chased it away fearing that this time the image would go even farther. She turned away from Van and stared at the ground. 'I don't understand? Why are all these visions coming to me? is something going to happen to Van?' Hitomi thought to herself.  
  
"Hitomi?" Van said with a slight tone of worry in his voice. Hitomi still did not look into his eyes, so he gently tapped her on the shoulder. She looked at Van and the others. They all stared at her with a blank expression in their faces. Suddenly a high pitched screaming kind of voice broke the silence as a small cat girl in a pink dress ran towards the prince of Fanelia. "VAN!!" the cat girl cried. Van turned and recognized the girl immediately. He outstretched his arms to receive the cat girl. She jumped into his arms and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Van lifted her up and held her tight. Seeing all of this happen, Hitomi remembered how close Van and the cat girl were. "Merle! I've missed you," Van said with joy. Hitomi smiled at the way Merle and Van were being so affectionate to one another. Finally letting go of Merle, Van put her down onto the hard cold stone floor of the Asturian palace. Merle searched the different faces and finally found the one she wanted to find. "It's you again," she said, "I heard that you were hear."  
  
"Yes well, it seems as though someone called me here, so naturally I was forced to come here. . .again," Hitomi said sarcastically. Merle was offended by what Hitomi had said and she gave Hitomi a nasty look. Looking away, Hitomi decided to face Van. Then Merle went towards Hitomi and wrapped her small arms around her waist. Hitomi jumped a little at the greeting that the cat girl was giving her. Hitomi bent down and received the hug and returned it by wrapping her arms around the small furry body in the pink dress on the cat girl. "I'm glad you're back because now Van will be happy," Merle whispered into her ear. The fuzzy sensation of Merle's fur gave a tingling feeling in Hitomi's ear. Just as quickly as the hug started, Hitomi and Merle broke it off. "Merle! You walk too fast even if it is to greet a long gone Prince," a girl said out of breath. The girl had long brown hair that was tied back into a nice ponytail and she wore a white loose dress with a satin pink sash around her waist. She had beautiful green eyes that resembled a pair of emeralds, rosy pink lips, and soft but beautiful pale skin. The group looked at her as if a goddess had just entered the room filling it with her magic. She walked towards Merle and laid a hand on her shoulder indicating that she shared a strong bond with her. She gave Merle a big smile and then looked towards the group, whom were still staring in awe. Merle smiled, turned to the group and said, "This is Yuna. I met her while in Fanelia. When I came here to see you Van, she wanted to come along." Allen, Van and Prince Chid gave a bow to her and smiled. It was Allen who went even further. After his bow, he took her hand and kissed it as all chivalrous knights were to do when in the presence of a lady. Millerna and Hitomi gave a friendly smile to Yuna. "Welcome to Asturia," Millerna said to her with a friendly gesture.  
  
"Thank you. Asturia is a lovely place," she said with one of her soft and lovely smiles.  
  
"This is Lord Van, Allen, Prince Chid, Millerna, and the Mystic Moon girl," Merle said as she pointed to each of them.  
  
"I'm not "The Mystic Moon Girl". I have a name and it happens to be Hitomi," she said with a slight sense of annoyance.  
  
"Whatever," Merle responded with a roll of her eyes.  
  
"It's almost sundown. Why don't all of you rest in the palace and then we'll discuss the matters of Zaibach tomorrow," Prince Chid said. Everyone nodded and started walking to the guests quarters. Yuna walked along with Merle, taking each step with such grace and elegance. Hitomi walked at the back of the group and she walked alone. Turning around to try and find Hitomi, Van looked back at Hitomi whose face was looking at the ground as she walked. Van stopped, waiting patiently for her to catch up to him. She lifted her head as soon as she saw that Van was looking at her. "Why are you looking at the ground and walking in the back?" Van questioned.  
  
"I just feel like it Van," she answered with a slight tone of melancholy. He could sense the sadness in her voice but he knew that she didn't like talking about her feelings, so he didn't push her. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he whispered into her ear that everything was going to be okay. It ended up that all the girls would stay in one room while the guys would stay in another. Ending up getting the bigger room, the girls settled in comfortably. The four beds were each in a separate room and each girl claimed theirs. The room had a parlor with a fireplace and some couches to sit on. Hitomi was just about to enter a room when Millerna caught her by the arm. Hitomi turned around and looked at Millerna.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Hitomi asked.  
  
"No nothing. I just wanted to say that I think you need some clothes," Millerna said with an innocent smile.  
  
"What's wrong with the clothes I'm wearing?" Hitomi asked while looking down at her gym shorts and tank top.  
  
"Nothing. It's just that since you're back in Gaia again I just thought that you should wear something appropriate," Millerna explained. Hitomi remembered the last time she wore a dress in Gaia. A lovely pink one that ended up being torn and thrown away. Hitomi gave a smile and nodded her head.  
  
"I think we can work something out," she said. Yuna and Merle looked at Hitomi approvingly as if she had just made the biggest decision in her life. Millerna took Hitomi by the hand and walked out the door. While passing through the hallway they passed by Van and Allen's quarters. Just as they were walking down Van had come out of the room. He looked at them skeptically.  
  
"Where are you going?" he asked.  
  
"We're going to buy something appropriate for Hitomi to wear," Millerna explained.  
  
"Why? She looks perfect to me," Van said with a little smile. Hitomi blushed a little and looked down at the ground.  
  
"All right then. I'll let you two get going," Van said as he headed for the opposite way.  
  
"Where are you going?" Hitomi asked.  
  
"Sparring. . . .with Allen," he said and with that answer he walked the other way. Hitomi and Millerna passed through the hallways and finally reached the courtyard. From there they walked toward the front gates and passed through. Millerna let go of Hitomi's hand and sighed. Hitomi looked at Millerna and then followed her to the town. The town bustled with all the citizens of Asturia. Women walking here and there, children running around, and men walking town to the nearest tavern to have a drink. Life was peaceful and the Asturians had no worries. Hitomi looked at the people and saw their smiling faces as if they had no worries at all. 'If only it could be like this all the time,' Hitomi thought. Millerna and Hitomi found a shop full of dresses and they both walked in. Millerna looked around and Hitomi stood there. She didn't want to wear so fanciful of dresses. Millerna picked an outfit out and gave it to Hitomi.  
  
"Go try it on. I'll be waiting here," she said. Hitomi went into the dressing room and conveniately put on the outfit and looked at herself quickly in the mirror. 'It's looks okay. Although I would prefer my track outfit,' she thought. She walked out as gracefully as she could so that she can appear beautiful to Millerna and then they could go back to the palace. Millerna looked at her and gave a small sigh. "Hitomi. You look beautiful," Millerna said. "Really?" Hitomi asked blushing slightly. The dress was an emerald green color that matched her eyes. The dress wasn't spread out, but it was not too tight either. It had just enough space for her to be able to move around yet also to look beautiful in. Hitomi looked at herself in the mirror and thought again about the dress. She looked at herself up and down and then stared into her reflection.  
  
  
  
She didn't have time to think after she jumped. She only thought of Van and what was to become of her now. She didn't even scream as she fell. She closed her eyes and wanted to dream but she couldn't. 'Van if only you were here to catch me,' Hitomi thought. As if her wish was heard, she suddenly felt firm hands catch her out of the air. The hands were firm and gentle and pulled her very close to him. Hitomi opened her eyes and looked at the face. 'Van?' Hitomi whispered. Then she looked away and looked at the wings. The wings were beautiful and feathers came falling out of them. The wings were. . . . . .  
  
  
  
"Hitomi?" Millerna asked as she was waving her hand in her face. Hitomi re-focused and she stopped staring at herself in the mirror.  
  
"What?" Hitomi said.  
  
"You were just staring at yourself in the mirror and you looked as if you were daydreaming," Millerna said.  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry. I just don't know what's wrong with me these days," Hitomi said as she put her hand on her face. Millerna smiled and told Hitomi to change back into her own clothes and then re-wear the dress when they got back to the palace. Hitomi nodded and did as she was told.  
  
  
  
PALACE:  
  
Van and Allen got their swords and faced each other. They got their stances up and prepared to spar. Van made the first move, like usual. Allen dodged the attack that Van had set for him. Allen took a swift strike while Van had his back towards him. Turning around quickly, Van had managed to block Allen's attack. The feet and hands were one in motion. They were balanced with one another. The attacks and defenses were smooth and together. Neither was winning nor losing. Both were very skilled with a sword. While Van was fierce and fast, Allen was graceful and agile. Both blocking and attacking. Van was taking the lead, but just as he was about to strike Allen with his sword point facing towards his face, Allen gracefully twisted his sword around Van's sword and knocked it out of his hand causing Van to be swordless and losing the match. Van was kneeling down on his knees speechless. Pointing his sword directly at Van's face, Allen smiled. Putting away his sword back into its sheath, Allen stretched out a hand to help Van up. Still allowing his pride to come first, Van got up himself and didn't take Allen's hand. Retracting his hand, Allen smiled while looking at Van's face. "Your prides till exists even if this was a practice," Allen remarked.  
  
"Yes, it does still exist but I'm glad we had this match," Van said as he smiled slightly. Van stretched out his hand toward Allen. Allen took the hand and they shook. "Well, looks like you two are finally getting along," Millerna said with a smile. Hitomi looked at the hands that were still clasped as if they had become the best of friends. 'They aren't embarrassed,' Hitomi thought to herself as she smiled to herself. Then the two let go of each other and faced the girls. Van picked up his sword and sheathed it, then he went towards Hitomi. "Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked.  
  
"Yes. You have to thank Millerna because she is the one that picked it out for me," Hitomi responded. Allen walked towards the three of them gracefully as if he wasn't tired at all from the sparring match. Looking towards the sky, Allen said, "It's time to go to the banquet. It's sundown." All three of them turned and looked at the sky and saw that the sun was going down and the moon was about to rise in place of it. Millerna handed Hitomi the dress and told her to go put it on so that she can look her best at the banquet. Then Allen took Millerna's hand and walked away towards the courtyard. Van silently stood next to Hitomi still looking up at the sky. "Do you miss it?" he asked.  
  
"Miss what?" Hitomi asked looking at him with curiosity.  
  
"The mystic moon," he said as he looked at her with a soft glow in his eyes.  
  
"The earth. Sometimes, but why should I think about my life there when everything I've always wanted was here, in Gaia," Hitomi said as she leaned her head on Van's firm shoulder. Van smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "Hitomi, I now something is wrong and I want you to know that I'm here to listen," Van whispered softly in her ear. Hitomi closed her eyes and went into a state of deep-thinking for what Van had just said to her.  
  
  
  
  
  
A table of food and plenty was spread out before her and the others at the feast. Everyone laughed and smiled. A servant boy entered the courtyard and was followed by a dark figure in a black cloak. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at the mysterious figure. The servant boy ran towards Prince Chid and whispered something in his ear. Prince Chid became alarmed and shouted to the guards. Smiling with a cold cruel smile, the figure pulled out his sword killing the first two guards that reached him. Signaling to the darkness behind him, foreign soldiers came out and attacked. The table dripped with the blood of the dead people. The dark figure advanced on Hitomi, as she raised her arms to defend herself. Just as the soldiers had appeared, everything vanished into thin air. It was as if nothing had happened. Looking at the new setting before her, Hitomi could see that she was on a battlefield. Two figures stood in the middle. Hitomi looked towards both of them. Both outstretched their arms to Hitomi, each showing arms full of love and care. Hitomi ran towards them. Getting closer, she could see that both were the men she loved. She stopped and remembered that the one on the right was the one that she had loved unconditionally, and yet the one on the left was the one that had stolen her heart. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she ran towards one of the men without even knowing why. The other man's eyes were saddened as he turned from her and walked through a black cloud of darkness. She looked up, with love and affection, at the man who was holding her dearly in his arms. Leaning her head against his chest, she whispered his name, "Allen. . ."  
  
  
  
  
  
Opening her eyes, Hitomi pushed herself out of Van's arms. Looking at his face with confusion, she started to shake her head from side to side. "No, it can't be. . .," she said as she ran away from Van with tears streaming down her cheeks. Van looked at her with the same amount of confusion and watched as she ran away. She ran past Yuna and Merle who were walking towards Van. Stopping and staring at Hitomi as she ran, Yuna turned to look at Van. Merle turned and looked at Hitomi and then turned back to look at Van. "Lord Van?" Merle said quietly as she walked slowly towards him. Eyes filled with mixed emotions, Van looked down at Merle. "What's wrong?" she asked worried that Hitomi had said or done something to hurt Van.  
  
"I don't know. Hitomi just ran off crying. I don't know what to think. Confusion and sadness are running through me at the same time," he explained.  
  
"Don't mind her. She'll be fine. Let's just go to the banquet and have a good time," Merle said as she tugged at his arm.  
  
"I can't go. Not until I know that she will be okay," Van said. Merle pouted and became sad. She let go of his arm and took two steps back. Van looked into her sad eyes and felt hurt. Giving her a small smile, he took her hand. "All right. Let's go," he said. A smile appeared on Merle's small and fuzzy face. They walked passed Yuna hand in hand. Yuna looked at them walking and then turned to look at the sunset. She smiled and reached into her shirt and pulled out a necklace. The pendant on the necklace was a black dragon with ruby red eyes. Holding the pendant firmly within her grasp, she whispered something to herself. She turned around, tucked the necklace back into her shirt and walked after Van and Merle.  
  
A/N: hey. . .so what did you think? please tell me in your review and if you want me to change something or correct something in my story then please tell me! oh and is that his name the kid prince of Asturia or whatever. . .even though he was a minor character, i still need to know his name and stuff so if you could tell me in your review then i'd be thankful. . .and if you see anything that i could change in my style of writing or something then please tell me! i cna't believe i would write that Hitomi would want Allen. . .*shudders*. . .she belongs with Van. . .as you can tell i was very troubled when i wrote that vision. . .but doesn't it make you curious?? why did she dream of Allen. . .being held in his arms instead of Van's??? keep up with my story and maybe you'll find out! oh and i might be a little slow in the updating process but hey school. . .moving houses. . .friends. . .etc. all that stuff. . .it gets in the way of my totally messed up life hehe so anyway. . .i think i should stop writing. . .but. . .*the spirit of the wolf growls at me and threatens to bite my hand off if i touch the keyboard one more time*. . .geez. . . -.-'. . . 


	4. Dragons

Head buried within the soft silk that was on her bed, Hitomi wept silently. Crystal tears spilled onto the sheets of the bed and spread as if they were trying to encase her into a small crystal fortress. Pounding her fist against the mattress to release all the frustration inside her, she wept some more at the vision she had while being held in Van's arms. After a few more moments of crying she lifted her head and looked up. Her face was stained with tears of sadness and pain. Taking her shirt and wiping off the remains of the last few wet drops, she sat there on her bed to think. Looking around she saw two doors that led to a balcony. She walked over to the doors, opened them and went outside. She looked down at the people in the town hustling and bustling within the active streets. 'If only it was like this everyday,' Hitomi sighed. She lowered her head more and her hair shadowed her eyes. A small soft knock was planted on the door. Thinking deeply, Hitomi didn't hear it as well as not hearing the person come in and stand right behind her. A gentle hand lie on her shoulder and a soft gentle voice whispered, "Everything will be all right. Don't worry so much." Hitomi still did not look up, but recognized the voice. Yuna stood there to comfort her while her hand rested on Hitomi's shoulder.  
  
"If only," Hitomi said very quietly. Yuna took her hand off of Hitomi's shoulder and smiled a small and soft smile.  
  
"Everything will be all right. Now wipe your tears and get dressed. Everyone will be expecting the guest of honor to be there at the banquet," she said. Lifting her head and turning around, Hitomi faced Yuna. With a slight nod, Hitomi went back inside to get dressed. Yuna followed after her.  
  
"I'll meet you down there," she said as she stepped through the door and left. Hitomi changed and fixed herself up. Then she walked out the door and headed for the courtyard. When she arrived, she saw that many flowered garlands were hung about the courtyard. There was a table in the middle of the courtyard filled with many different types of foods. Over to the left of the courtyard there was a table with refreshments. To the right a small orchestra was getting ready to play a soft tune. Lords and Ladies were all over the courtyard laughing and talking with one another. Walking in steadily, she looked around to try and find some familiar faces. The Lords turned to give her approving looks and the Ladies turned to see whom the mysterious, but beautiful woman was. Sighing heavily, Hitomi could see no one she knew. Wandering off to get a drink from the table with refreshments, a hand grabbed hers and pulled her back. The hand that grabbed hers was gentle and wasn't using any force. She turned to see who the person was, but when she looked, a mask hid the face. The figure pulled her into a dance as a soft melody played. She looked deeply into the eyes of the figure and had a sense of recognition. 'I've seen those eyes before. But where?' she thought. Hitomi looked around her and realized that they seemed to be the only ones dancing. Trying to stop her and the figure from dancing, Hitomi slipped and almost fell onto the hard floor of the courtyard. Grabbing her very gracefully as if she was a porcelain doll, he held her in his arms and looked deeply into her eyes. Then he smiled. A beautiful, soft smile, one that could melt your heart. Hitomi was lifted up and stood there looking at the man. Breaking the force, the figure took her hand and planted a soft and gentle kiss upon it. Then just as quickly as he came, he left.  
  
"Are you all right?" a soft and gentle voice asked. Hitomi turned around and saw Millerna's bright eyes looking at her.  
  
"Yeah. I'm fine," Hitomi replied staring back at the place where the figure disappeared.  
  
"I'm sorry we just came. Something came up at the last minute, but everyone is here now," Millerna said still smiling. Hitomi turned back around and looked behind Millerna. Sure enough, everyone was standing behind her, but one face was missing.  
  
"Where's Van?" Hitomi asked. Everyone looked around and saw that Van was gone and nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Why don't we get some drinks?" Yuna said breaking the silence. Everyone nodded and went towards the refreshments table. Hitomi still looked around for Van, hoping to find him yet fearing to see him. A hand gently landed on her shoulder.  
  
"He'll be here. I know he will," Allen said with a small hint of emotional pain. Just as quickly as the hand touched her shoulder, it came off. Hitomi nodded and gave him a smile. He looked deep into her eyes and then turned away to go get a drink for himself and talk to the Lords and Ladies that he saw in the courtyard. Hitomi pondered at why Van was not there until a thought struck her. 'Could Van be . . .' Hitomi thought. She turned back to look at the place where the mysterious figure had disappeared from. She smiled and turned around to join the others for a drink. Up on the second floor where the servants had hung the garlands, stood two figures both dressed in black as if going to a funeral.  
  
"Look at them. Pitiless fools," the one on the left said apparently a man because of his deep yet haunting voice.  
  
"Yes well you can't blame them. I would want to live out the few last moments of my life in a happy festive mood. Wouldn't you?" the one on the right said who was a woman with a similar mysterious tone in her voice.  
  
"This is different," he said with a low growl, "They know that the most strongest force in all of Gaia can attack them at any moment and yet they choose to celebrate."  
  
"Don't worry. They'll be all the more surprised. The dragon will die . . .by the hand of his most loved," the woman said with a chuckle.  
  
"Come on. It's time," the man said to the woman as they both walked down to the courtyard using a secret passage and going undetected. Then, Van walked into the courtyard slowly. He walked over to the others who were still at the refreshments table getting drinks. "I'm sorry for being late," Van apologized.  
  
"It's all right," Millerna said with a smile. Hitomi looked back at Van and then quickly looked down at the ground as Van caught her eye. Walking over silently, he came and put out a hand. Looking from his hand to his face, she understood. Taking his hand, they walked to the middle of the courtyard and again Hitomi found herself dancing with Van. As they danced, Hitomi looked up at Van's face and stared at it long and hard. Then she laid her head onto his chest. Closing her eyes, Hitomi felt as though she were in a dream.  
  
  
  
  
  
The wind blew against her and made her hair flow. Standing in a field of grass, Hitomi looked around her and saw two figures at the other end of the field. Running towards them both, she found that she landed in the arms of the gallant knight and the Fanelian prince walked off into the darkness. 'Allen . . .' she whispered as the wind carried it away. His embrace was filled with love and passion. Hitomi held on to him as if he were the only one left in this world. 'Hitomi . . .' he whispered as Hitomi pulled back from the embrace. She looked down trying to avoid his face and ended up staring at her hands instead, which were bathed in blood. Filled with horror and disgust, Hitomi looked away only to stare into the face of her Fanelian prince. A look of pain and sadness shown on his face. 'Hitomi . . .' he said and fell to his knees. Suddenly Hitomi understood. 'No . . . I couldn't have . . .' Hitomi said falling to the ground as she tried to hold Van in her arms. 'Van . . .' Gasping and choking, Van stretched a hand out towards Hitomi's face. His warm hand was comforting to her but she felt it growing cold. 'I'm sorry . . .' she said weeping. 'Don't be . . .' he replied with a small yet strained smile. Then he breathed his last and slowly dissolved as tons of white feathers replaced him and blew away with the wind. Hitomi wept more and shook her head. Hitomi held her face within her hands screaming in pain and anger as she suddenly radiated with a soft pink glow. She silenced her screams and saw a blue pillar of light touch the ground, and watched as a guymelef stepped out. 'Escaflowne . . .' she whispered as she closed her eyes and was consumed with darkness.  
  
  
  
  
  
Reopening her eyes and seeing herself within the safe and loving arms of Van, she stopped dancing. "What's wrong?" Van asked.  
  
"Escaflowne . . ." she said quietly.  
  
"What?" Van said with a look of confusion. Before Van could ask her more questions and before she could say anymore, the trumpets sounded as Prince Chid walking in. The Lords and Ladies turned and went toward the table that was in the middle of the courtyard. They all chose a spot and stood next to the chair waiting for their beloved Prince to sit down and give them the command. Van walked the unstable Hitomi towards one of the seats and helped her stand next to it. Prince Chid smiled and walked towards his seat and sat down. Just as everyone was about to sit down a servant boy came running. Walking slowly behind the boy, a mysterious figure wearing a black cloak with a hood to cover his face unsheathed his sword. The boy whispered into Prince Chid's ear and was stumbling with his words. Suddenly Prince Chid stood up and started to walk away from the table, as were the Lords and Ladies. He shouted at the guards, as they came running as fast as they could to protect the prince. Immediately the two guards were killed. Their blood stained the figure's sword with their lifeless bodies on the ground. Van and Allen unsheathed their swords, ready to fight and protect the people.  
  
"Van . . ." Hitomi said slowly and quietly. Van turned to look at Hitomi and saw her point as something on his chest. It was the pendant that Hitomi had given Van before she left Gaia one year ago. The pendant began to glow faintly. When he turned to look at the figure, the pendant glowed even brighter and pointed at the figure. The figure raised his sword high into the air as an army of soldiers appeared behind him. The Ladies screamed and ran in panic as the Lords hid cowardly. Millerna started to back away with Merle close by her. Allen and Van, still confused at the pendants glow, stepped forward to fight. Millerna looked around her to see if everyone was safely hidden or gone until she noticed Hitomi. Walking towards her as quickly as she could, the figure dropped his sword slowly and the army behind him began to attack.  
  
"Hitomi!" Millerna yelled. Somehow Hitomi regained her senses and looked around her seeing soldiers come at them with swords in their hands about ready to slit their throats. Finally reaching Hitomi, Millerna tried to run as a soldier was running towards them with his sword raised high in the air. Hitomi ended up running faster and helping Millerna instead of Millerna helping her. Just when they had thought they were dead, they heard a clash of metal and turned to take a quick glance. Van had blocked the soldier's attack in trying to harm the two girls.  
  
"Run and don't look back!" Van ordered.  
  
"Van . . ." Hitomi said with concern.  
  
"Hitomi we have to go!" Millerna yelled. They began to run as they never ran before. Prince Chid was still stuck in the courtyard with a number of guards around him to protect him from the soldiers. One by one the guards began to drop. Then the last of them died as he told Chid with his last breath to run. Prince Chid turned around only to be confronted with two more soldiers. Raising their swords, they smiled with a cruel smile as their swords came down. Prince Chid closed his eyes. Seconds later he re- opened them to see why he hadn't been killed yet and saw the reason why. Two figures with masks covering their faces had killed the two soldiers that were about to kill Chid. They looked back at Chid.  
  
"This is not the place for a prince like you," the figure with the red mask on said. Chid distinguished the voice as a woman's.  
  
"Come with us Prince Chid," a gruff voice said. This person was wearing a white mask and took Prince Chid's hand as he led him away form the battle. Blood was spewn everywhere as dying men breathed their last. Van was fighting fiercely as was Allen. Both were dodging and attacking, but it was no use. There were too many soldiers coming in at once. Van took his chance and faced the one who signaled to start the massacre. The figure unhooded himself, but a mask veiled his face. The pendant around Van's neck was glowing uncontrollably and was moving in all different directions. Everywhere near Van he saw a red glow coming from the soldier's necks. As soon as they breathed their last, the red glow went out. Raising his sword, the figure accepted his challenge. The duel was set as the figure anticipated Van's attack. Dodging it, he evaded to the right and took a swift strike. Van managed to block it but not fast enough. His shirt had been cut open at the side and little droplets of blood dripped from his flesh as it hit the ground. After the last attack that was made on Van, the figure stood in front of him with his back turned. Van attacked. The figure quickly turned around and faced Van with a block from his sword.  
  
"Why are you fighting me brother? You and I are the same," the figure said straining himself to keep Van's sword tied with his own.  
  
"I had a brother . . . and his name was Folken!" Van cried as he pushed the figure away and stood in an attacking position, just in case the figure attacked him by surprise. The figure laughed and put his sword down by his side, but still holding it.  
  
"That fool died because of his stupidity. Van . . . we are alike. Not brothers, but we are the same," the figure said slowly. The figure stepped back as Van looked at him with a sense of confusion.  
  
"You are confused now, but soon you will see," he went on. The figure backed away back into the darkness from which he came and disappeared. "Besides, I'm not here for you . . . I'm here for someone else," his voice said while flowing through the wind.  
  
"Van!" Turning around, Van looked at Allen and all around him he could see that everything had disappeared. The dead bodies of the soldiers, the soldiers who remained alive and everything else. The blood was not gone however leaving proof that there was a battle.  
  
"He was here for someone else . . . but who?" Van questioned himself loudly as a piercing scream filled with terror broke through the courtyard.  
  
"Hitomi!" Van said while looking at the second floor of the courtyard. Allen and Van raced up the stairs to the second floor, to try and rescue the one they loved. Along a corridor far from the courtyard Prince Chid, Hitomi, Millerna, and Merle were trapped as soldiers advanced on them. The two that had saved Prince Chid earlier were badly wounded. Swords near their throats, the soldiers were ready to slit them if they spoke a word.  
  
"Everyone can go free if the Mystic Moon girl is given to us," the lead soldier said.  
  
"Hitomi?" Millerna questioned, "What do you want with her?"  
  
"No questions! Just hand over the girl!"  
  
"Never. We'll die protecting her from the likes of you!"  
  
"Then if that is what you wish, we will kill . . ." the soldier was saying as a white arrow pierced through his armor. He looked up at the one who shot the arrow and saw that it was a girl.  
  
"Im . . . possi . . ." he uttered as he fell onto the staircase and breathed his last. A bright red glow faded from his chest. The three girls and the prince turned around and looked at the one who shot the arrow. "Yuna!?" Merle cried in disbelief.  
  
A/N: i don't even know if you people read these things but yeah . . . sorry this took so long to write . . . school kept me busy and i just didn't have the heart to write anymore because of some stuff . . . but i'm fine now and i hope you enjoyed this chapter just as much as i did . . . the fight sequence . . . well i didn't really think that i did that part well enough . . . but yeah . . . *evil grin spreads across authors face* . . . i left you guys a nice cliffhanger to think upon . . . i mean weren't you wondering where Yuna went when the attack happened??? she should have been with the others . . . and where did she learn to shoot like that??? keep reading this fanfic and you'll find out everything . . . 


	5. Hidden Truth

Yuna stood there with the bow and arrow within her hands. Everyone looked at her as if in shock and couldn't move. The other soldiers looked at their fallen captain and backed away but very slowly. They knew better than to leave without the girl, for if they did, they would receive a punishment even worse than death. Cocking another arrow, Yuna spoke to the soldiers.  
  
"Leave and live," she said with a malicious look within her eyes.  
  
"We will not leave without the girl," one of the soldiers said.  
  
"I said leave and live. If you don't leave, then I will ease your pain by killing you all."  
  
"You may have killed our captain but we will not die without a fight."  
  
Still looking at Yuna, Hitomi could see her soft eyes glinting with not hate but a mysterious look. 'How strange that she should look that way, when many have died before her very eyes . . .' Hitomi thought. Hitomi tried to figure out what Yuna was doing.  
  
"I warned you to leave, but you didn't listen," Yuna said as she released the arrow. Whizzing through the air, the soldier tried to block the arrow but was too late in trying and the arrow pierced him in the chest. The soldier fell to his knees and gasped as he tried to pull out the arrow. The other soldiers came and helped the soldier up.  
  
"There's no point in trying. He'll die within two hours. I made these arrows and tipped them with a deadly poison that reacts fast. So even if you tried to help him, your efforts would be in vain," Yuna said as she put her bow down to her side and stood there as if she killed enemy soldiers all the time. The soldiers told the others to back off from everyone and to retreat. Yuna walked forward as she and the others watched them leave the corridor. The two masked people got up from the ground. The woman was wounded in the leg and the man was wounded in the arm. Yuna looked at everyone and could see the shock on their faces.  
  
"I'll explain everything later, but first we have to help those that are injured," Yuna said with no feeling.  
  
"I don't even think anyone could ever survive this attack," Prince Chid said with a raspy voice.  
  
"Your highness? I'm sure all hope is not lost yet. There may be some survivors," the woman said. Prince Chid turned to the two people in the masks.  
  
"To you two, I owe my life," Prince Chid said with dignity. The masked figures merely bowed there heads.  
  
"Hitomi!" Van yelled as he was running through the second floor with Allen right beside him. Hitomi turned to see Van and Allen running towards them. Slowing down on seeing that Hitomi was fine, Van and Allen gasped for air.  
  
"What happened? Are you okay?" Van asked calmly.  
  
"I'm fine Van, but I'm not so sure about the others," Hitomi responded while looking at the others. Yuna was helping the two figures whom were wounded. Merle was sitting on the ground with a look of fear on her face. Millerna was tending to Allen and Prince Chid was talking to the two figures. Hitomi turned back to look into Van's worried eyes.  
  
"I'm all right. Don't worry," Hitomi said while putting a hand on Van's face. Closing his eyes, Van felt Hitomi's warm and comforting touch realizing that no matter what happens she would always be with him. She leaned in towards Van and laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him. Van dropped his sword and put his arms around Hitomi.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Van I'll never leave you. I promise . . ." Hitomi said. She closed her eyes and breathed her last. Van felt Hitomi's body go limp. "Hitomi! Hitomi wake up!" Van cried as he fell to the ground on his knees while holding Hitomi. The others looked at them in disbelief with tears going down their cheeks. Allen was off in a dark part of the corridor with his hair shadowing his eyes. Allen slowly backed away from Van and Hitomi. Van looked at Hitomi's face longingly. "Hitomi . . ." Van whispered as he got up from the ground and left her body on the ground. Van walked down the other direction of Allen and stopped abruptly. He slightly turned around and looked back at Hitomi's lifeless body. "Hitomi . . ." he said with sadness and feathers flew around him. "It's all over. You've killed everyone and you've hurt the one you loved the most," a voice said, "How does it feel Hitomi? You've killed everyone . . . including yourself." The voice began to laugh with a tone of triumph and evil. The laugh was all around and echoed throughout the walls of the palace where blood had been spilt. Pure, innocent, red, blood . . .  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hitomi . . ." Van whispered in her ear. Hitomi opened her eyes with a start.  
  
"No! No!" Hitomi shouted. Pulling away from Van, Hitomi tried to run down the corridor only to find that Van's grasp on her arms were strong.  
  
"Hitomi what's wrong?" Van asked with a hint of worry in his voice. He held on to Hitomi while watching her weep and shout. Hitomi kept struggling while shouting pieces of words that didn't make sense to anyone.  
  
"I . . .I . . .no," Hitomi kept mumbling, "It's over. It's over. I killed everyone . . . everyone is dead . . . I killed them . . . I killed them . . ."  
  
"Hitomi it's okay. There just visions. It's not real," Van kept repeating to her. The others just realized Hitomi was shouting and turned from their duties to look at her. Yuna got up from tending to the two figures wounds and looked at Hitomi. She touched the base of her neck and felt a hard necklace. Grasping it within her hand, she walked towards her bow and picked it up.  
  
"I'll be waiting for everyone in the courtyard. We need to help with the bodies," Yuna said plainly and walked down the corridor, back to the courtyard.  
  
"Will you two be all right?" Prince Chid asked the two figures.  
  
"Yes your highness. We will be fine," the woman said.  
  
"We've had other worst case scenarios. This isn't as bad as the others," the man said gruffly.  
  
"We will meet up again young prince," the woman said while walking down the other side of the corridor, "But next time . . . we might not be there to protect you." The woman and man walked down the corridor and suddenly disappeared from the castle.  
  
"Van. Let me take care of her. You should go downstairs and help the others. Allen already went," Millerna said while taking Hitomi by the shoulders and letting her lean on hers. Van gave a sad look to Millerna, picked up his sword, and gave her a nod while turning his back and walking toward the courtyard.  
  
"I killed them . . . I killed them all . . ." Hitomi whimpered. Millerna held Hitomi in her arms and gave her a reassuring hug. Whispering into her ear, while walking towards the end of the corridor.  
  
  
  
COURTYARD: Yuna stood next to Allen in the courtyard and overlooked at the damage done to the castle. Bodies, blood, and weapons were scattered everywhere. There were no wounded soldiers because of the brutal attack that was done by the enemy.  
  
"Look at this place. It's like a graveyard," Yuna whispered with no feeling. Yuna walked towards the dead bodies to see if some of them were still alive. She pushed a soldier with her foot as the soldier fell to the ground with a thud. Still standing and looking at the destruction, Allen heard Van coming behind him.  
  
"Look at this," Allen said with anger, "It was a massacre."  
  
"We've seen worse. Remember the last war," Van said. Walking back towards them, Yuna realized that she had blood on herself. Van and Allen looked at her wondering if anyone survived the attack. Shaking her head from side to side, Yuna looked down at the ground.  
  
"Everyone is dead. The Lords, the Ladies . . . everyone," Yuna said. Van turned to look at the bodies and noticed something on the ground. Picking it up, Van saw that it was a black dragon with two ruby red eyes. Holding it within his hands, the pendant at Van's neck started to glow. It spun around in small circles and pointed directly at Yuna. Van looked at Yuna.  
  
"What is this?" Van asked.  
  
"It looks like Zaibach is tagging their soldiers now," Allen said. Van's necklace started to glow brighter as he moved towards Yuna. Upon seeing this, Yuna moved towards the doorway. Van watched Yuna back away.  
  
"It was you," Van said with hatred, "You signaled this massacre." Yuna turned her face away from Van's cold and hateful stare.  
  
"Listen to me Van," Yuna said quietly.  
  
"No. You don't deserve to live," Van said while moving into attack position.  
  
"If you could just let me explain," Yuna pleaded. Van went straight towards her with his sword ready. Dodging his attack, Yuna quickly cocked an arrow and pointed it at Van just as he was ready to strike again.  
  
"The arrow is faster than the sword," Yuna explained.  
  
"But the sword has the power to destroy the arrow," Van responded. Yuna pulled the string back further, while Van raised his sword ready to strike. Suddenly Allen moved in between them.  
  
"Allen what are you doing?" Van shouted.  
  
"I don't think your accusation on Yuna is fair. You automatically take a pendant's word that Yuna is part of Zaibach and ordered this massacre," Allen said with his head bowed and eyes closed.  
  
"But she is part of Zaibach," Van said, "Look." Allen looked towards Yuna and saw two small red glows coming from her neck. Yuna still had her arrow cocked but loosened her string a little.  
  
"Put your weapons down. Van . . . let her explain," Allen said still with his calm composed voice. Yuna released the pressure on the arrow, but Van still had his sword up. Yuna reached into her cloak and pulled out a black dragon necklace with the eyes made out of rubies. The eyes were glowing brightly and the pendant around Van's neck was glowing brightly as well.  
  
"You're wrong Van. I'm not part of Zaibach and I did not order this attack," Yuna said with frustration.  
  
"How can I believe you when you wear the proof," Van said.  
  
"This I can't tell you because if I did, I would have to lie to you."  
  
"Everything that comes from your mouth is a lie. You killed all these people. You ordered this massacre and for that you will pay!" Van ran towards Yuna, ready to kill her. Van was blocked by another sword, and saw that Allen was holding him back from Yuna.  
  
"Restrain yourself Van! You can't kill this girl! If she is part of Zaibach then we can use her for information! Have you thought about that?" Allen said straining to hold Van back. The others came into the courtyard while looking at Van and Allen try and fight against each other. Millerna had left Hitomi in the room and came down to the courtyard to help with the others. Immediately she went in between them and tried to separate them.  
  
"Stop this!" Millerna shouted at them. Two soldiers that were attending to Prince Chid, pulled the two apart.  
  
"Sheathe your swords. I will not have this useless fighting in a time like this," Prince Chid said. Allen sheathed his sword and did as Prince Chid asked him to. Van pushed the soldier that was holding him and stormed out of the room. Watching him leave, Millerna whispered, "Van . . ." Prince Chid looked at Yuna and noticed that there was a black dragon necklace on her.  
  
"So, Van was right. You are part of Zaibach," he said quietly.  
  
"You're wrong. I wasn't the one who ordered this attack," Yuna said looking away from him.  
  
"If what you say is true then why can't you tell us why you wear this necklace?"  
  
"Why must you know? Is it because you need proof? You of all people should be of good judgment."  
  
"I'm not trying to blame you for anything, but at this time I need some answers."  
  
"Be good to yourself Prince Chid and leave the things that you don't understand alone," Yuna said as she was heading toward the exit. Two guards stepped in front of her and blocked her from leaving.  
  
"We can't permit you to leave. You wear the symbol of the enemy," Allen said gently.  
  
"Even you don't believe me," Yuna scoffed. Yuna stepped back a little and the soldiers and Allen cleared the exit again. Moving slowly to the right, Yuna made a sudden movement and ran toward the exit while pulling a sword from one of the guards. Allen saw this and immediately pulled his sword out and headed towards her. Being the more faster and agile one, Allen ran ahead and blocked her. Being the more graceful one, Yuna struck out at Allen. Allen blocked her attack and tried to attack back at her, but Yuna ducked and artfully went behind Allen and pulled his arm back while having her sword about ready to slit his throat.  
  
"You weren't the only one to be trained by an expert swordsman," Yuna said in Allen's ear.  
  
"I can very well see that," Allen retorted.  
  
"Allen . . . I'm not going to hurt you, but you have to let me go. If you let me go now I promise that everything will be explained in due time."  
  
"Why can't you explain it now? It would be better."  
  
"Because no one will trust me right now. Especially Van and I didn't come here to lose his trust. In fact I came here to gain it."  
  
"What have you to gain with all this deceit?"  
  
"If only you had let me explain," Yuna said and quickly released Allen while running the other way.  
  
"Allen!" Millerna yelled while running over to where Allen had been pushed. Allen sat there holding his neck while Millerna put her arms around him.  
  
"Are you all right?" Millerna asked.  
  
"She came here to gain it," Allen whispered while looking up at Prince Chid.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Yuna came here to gain Van's trust."  
  
"She tried to tell us didn't she."  
  
"I don't know."  
  
  
  
  
  
Yuna ran through the corridors and out the palace gates. The dragon's eyes on her necklace became dimmer as she ran farther and farther away from the palace. Gasping for breath, Yuna came to a stop in a field of grass that was swaying gently in the breeze. Standing back up after a quick rest, Yuna slightly looked back.  
  
"There's nothing you can do just by standing there," a woman's voice said.  
  
"I should have known," Yuna replied while looking back at the open field. She saw two figures on horseback and an extra horse waiting for a rider.  
  
"Come with us my lady," a gruff voice said.  
  
"How can I go with you when the blood of so many rests on your hands."  
  
"Our hands? I see no blood," the woman said looking down at her hands.  
  
"How dare you mock me Minagi."  
  
"My lady I mock no one, especially you."  
  
"You killed those people. You told Zaibach didn't you?"  
  
"My lady time is running out and the master grows more impatient," the man said with little patience.  
  
"I'm not going with you Shoji. You can tell your master that I'm fine on my own."  
  
"We can't do that. You are still part of us no matter how much you want to escape it," Minagi said. Yuna's necklace began to glow fiercely. A blast of psychic energy erupted from above the three as it hit Yuna. The energy exploded as a dome was formed around Yuna. She looked up and saw a young man with wings of pitch black color.  
  
"I hope you have not forgotten that I am as strong as you," Yuna said.  
  
"I did not forget," said the young man in a calm manner as he landed on the ground and his wings retracted and folded in.  
  
"How could you do this? All for Hitomi."  
  
"Not just her. I was there for you as well," the young man explained as a wave of energy emitted from him. The energy passed through the dome, shattering it while going through, and hitting Yuna. The energy pierced Yuna but it didn't injure her. Yuna fell to the ground on her knees as she cried in pain. She bowed her face down to the dirt and gasped in pain, trying to keep her crying inside her. Yuna held herself with her arms as two crystal tears dropped from her eyes. Blood began to soak the back part of her dress. The blood seeped through her white dress and began to appear on her cloak. Two wings of pure white appeared from her back and blood dripped from her cloak. The wings enclosed around her body. The three figures stood there watching as a bright light flashed before them. Appearing in front of them was Yuna in a loose white dress that started from her shoulders and ended far down her feet. She had a tiara of silver with rubies embedded into it placed on her head. A collar of silver was on her neck with a black dragon placed in the middle of it. Her hair flowed in all directions and her wings were widely spread to show more of her elegance. She landed on the ground as her dress covered her feet. The young man stepped forward and took Yuna by the chin and held her face towards him. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "This is your true self. Never forget." He withdrew himself from her face, let go of her chin, and looked deeply into her eyes. Then he turned, spread his wings, and flew away.  
  
"I have not forgotten . . . but I am discontent with who I am," Yuna whispered to herself as a tear fell down her cheek and landed on the ground forming a small crystal flower.  
  
  
  
A/N: sorry that it took so long to put up this long awaited chapter but i was a little busy with school and finals and all that crap (even though all of that was like two weeks ago) . . . anyway so i know it's REALLY late but . . . MERRY CHRISTMAS!! . . . and since it's not too late for this . . . it's a little early but . . . HAPPY NEW YEAR!! . . . . i think i went a little too far with Yuna . . . i never meant her to be some goddess with ice tears that forms flowers . . . but this is how she turned out . . . and what is up with this "master" dude and the two figures?? . . . well anyway . . . stick with my next chapter which will reveal Yuna's past and the whole Zaibach thing . . . so yeah . . . until next time!!! 


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